Evaluation of biochemical and hematological parameters and their correlation with the age and gender among COVID-19 patients in Chattogram

Abstract

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to a global
health crisis. Age and gender are known to influence disease severity
and immune response in COVID-19, but data on their effects on
routine blood markers remains underexplored, especially in
Bangladesh. This study aimed to investigate how blood parameters
(ESR, total and differential WBC counts, ferritin, D-dimer, ALT)
differ by age and gender in Bangladeshi COVID-19 patients. This
cross-sectional study included 351 qRT-PCR–confirmed COVID-19
patients from Chattogram, Bangladesh. Blood samples were analyzed
for key hematological and biochemical parameters. All participants
were informed about the study, and ethical guidelines were followed
throughout. The average age of patients was 56.72 ± 0.89 years, with
the majority aged between 50–64 years. All measured blood markers
were elevated compared to standard reference ranges. Men had
significantly higher ESR, total and differential WBC counts, and
ferritin than Women (p<0.05). Patients aged ≥65 years showed
significantly higher ESR, D-dimer, and ALT levels than younger
patients. COVID-19 patients exhibit marked changes in routine blood
tests, with higher inflammatory markers (ESR, Ferritin) and enzymes
(ALT, D-dimer) in men and older patients. These results highlight the
importance of considering age and gender in laboratory assessments.
Clinically, these routine markers can aid risk stratification and
monitoring, enabling clinicians to identify high-risk cases and tailor
patient management accordingly.